Video: Kingsport burglar swipes $150K in Kmart jewelry

KINGSPORT — City police are seeking tips concerning a recent felony theft at Kmart, where a glass door was shattered to make entry and the suspect fled with nearly 90 pieces of diamond jewelry.

The incident occurred at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 6 at the store on East Stone Drive. Kingsport police officers responding to an alarm performed a search, but found no suspect in the building.

Store employees arrived to survey the damage and told investigators that dozens of pieces were missing from a damaged jewelry cabinet. Police say all the missing items contained diamonds and carried a total value of more than $150,000.

Surveillance video shows a lone suspect break the glass door and crawl through the opening. The suspect went directly to the jewelry section, smashed a case, grabbed the contents and fled.

At the time of the theft, the suspect was wearing a dark jacket, gloves and a blue hood. Police say cameras in the immediate area revealed a light colored sedan believed to be driven by the burglar. The car is said to be beige with black wheels and tinted windows.